History Affair
by ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie
Summary: C.C. is just an average high school student, but mysterious sightings of a strange boy plunge her into an adventure like none other she's experienced. History isn't just for the past anymore. AU, C.C./Lelouch, Gino/Kallen
1. Chapter 01: Cyndicate

Hello, everyone! Here's my first C.C./Lelouch fic here on FFnet, and it's an AU. It's possibly OOC (Who even knows with moody ol' Lulu?), and it's a fic where C.C. has a name. I dunno if that turns people away, but I thought I'd mention it. Please note, it's a name I made up for her, and holds absolutely no meaning outside of my personal fanfics.

I'm writing this fic for the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Big Bang on LiveJournal (http:/ scifibigbang. livejournal. com/ profile), but, unlike last year, I wanted to post one chapter at a time. Enjoy!

_**History Affair  
><strong>_**Chapter 01: Cyndicate**

...

C.C.

That's what they call me. It's my initials, but they pronounce it as 'See-Two,' instead of the more common 'See-See.' I don't really know why they call me that, but I won't argue. I prefer to be called Kate, but I'll take anything as long as it isn't my full name.

Cydnicate Christian.

Who in the world names their daughter 'Cyndicate?'

My parents, that's who.

I'm nothing special. Just a girl in high school with a passion for history and literature. I love to read, and my best friend mocks me, calling me a bookworm and saying I'll still be a virgin at forty. Kallen doesn't get it, though. She's a tech junkie, to put it bluntly. She works after school at a garage her brother owns, fixing cars and, occasionally, Knightmares. I go and watch sometimes, just to keep her company. I can read in the waiting room there just as well as I can read at home.

I don't have a boyfriend, but I don't care. Kallen doesn't, either, but the one guy at school is constantly hitting on her. Gino Weinberg. He seems like a decent enough guy. Enthusiastic, but he's honest. I'm pretty sure he'd treat Kallen well if she'd just say yes. But she's a feminist to the core, not wanting to have to 'rely on a man' for anything.

If I had a guy hitting on me like that, I'd say yes. I don't lament not having a boyfriend, but I wouldn't say no if I was asked out. I have dated a few times, but none of them stuck. I'm a hopeless romantic, though. I can't help it, not after reading so much. I read just about everything, from romance to thriller to adventure. I read non-fiction, too. Stories are almost better when they're real. That's why I love history so much.

I lean back in my seat on a bench in the park, paperback book in my hands and eyes skimming the words with no desire to stop. This book is about the Britannian royal family from a few centuries ago. It's been twisted to tell a good story, but it's amazing. I've already found several facts that are wrong, but it's still a good read, so long as one knows it isn't completely factual.

"Hey! C.C.!"

My head snaps up in shock. Damn it, just as the princess was about to confess her love for her knight. I frown and tuck my bookmark between the pages so I don't lose my spot and smile as Gino approaches. "Hey, C.C.! Can I ask you something?"

I roll my eyes and lay the book across my lap. "You've already stolen my attention from where it's wanted most. You may as well."

He grins, completely oblivious. "Great. Do you know what Kallen thinks of me? I've been asking her out for forever and she won't give me a clue."

My pale green eyebrow rises. "Most guys would take her constant denial as a clue."

He shrugs. "She doesn't hate me, though. That's clear enough."

I shift to stand, tucking _Chronicles of the Crown vol. 2_ into my shoulder bag and smile. "She doesn't think you're a bad guy, so, no, she doesn't hate you. But she doesn't _like_ like you, either. I think you two could be good friends." I start to walk away, then turn on my heel to add, "Between you and me, I hope she accepts someday."

…

I sit in my room, curled into a ball in my papasan chair, book in my hands once again. My stuffed Cheese-kun sits in my lap, acting as a support mechanism as the youngest prince declares war on the one who murdered his sister. God, I love these books. The author knew what he was doing. I'll have to look up more by Levi Tain. I hope he has more. There are seven books in the _Chronicles of the Crown_ series, but I already know I want more.

"Kate!"

I snap out of my reverie at the sound of my mother's voice. Damn it. Always when I'm reading! I climb out of my chair and carry my book down the hall to where my mom is coming up the stairs. "Yes, Mom?"

She rolls her eyes at the sight of the book in my hand and sighs. "You're going to read yourself blind, Kate."

I shrug. "It's better than smoking pot, right?"

She shakes her head in exasperation. "It's time for dinner. Go get cleaned up."

"All right," I say with a nod, turning to run back to my room and wash up. We live in the Christian family estate, so we have a huge amount of property. I love to climb trees and read in the branches during the spring. It's so beautiful outside our house. I walk into my own bathroom and over to open the window. It's really nice weather out right now.

Wait, what's that?

I glance down to the ground, where someone stands by a park swing in the garden. It's a boy, about my age. His black hair shines in the afternoon sun, his eyes staring at something in the distance. He's wearing a simple button-down white shirt and black pants. I swear I've never seen him before. Who is that?

Suddenly, his attention snaps towards something else to his left, and he walks off, disappearing beneath the brush of a tree.

Weird.

…

"Jeremiah?"

The man who heads the farming of our orange orchard looks up with a spark of curiosity in his eye. "Yes, Miss Kate?"

I sigh from where I sit in one of the orange trees. "Just Kate, Jeremiah. You know that. My family is Lithuanian. We were granted Britannian nobility because we gave up our right to our land."

He nods with a friendly smile and turns to lean on the side of the truck for harvesting, raising his eyebrow not covered by his mask in good humor. "Yes, Kate?"

I smile and swing my legs back and forth. "Do you know if my parents hired anyone new to help in the garden?"

He turns away, wiping his brow to clear the sweat from his work. "I'm not sure, Kate. The orchard and the garden are handled by different people. Why do you ask?"

"I saw someone yesterday, just before dinner. He looked my age and dressed in a white shirt and black pants. I don't remember having any staff my age with black hair like that."

"Hm…" he muses, climbing up a ladder to work with the oranges. "I'm not sure. I can't say I've seen anyone like that."

I lean back slightly, gripping the branch to keep my balance. I wonder who that boy was? I suppose he could have been older. I never saw his face, but he carried himself like a high school kid. I shake my head. Maybe I have been reading too much. But instead of going blind like my mom said, I'm going crazy and seeing things.

I roll back further and hang upside-down on the tree before flipping and landing on my feet. "Well, thanks for talking, Orange. I have to get to school now, but I'll see you later!" I grab my dirt-stained backpack and my Cheese-kun purse from the ground before dashing off towards where Villetta waits to drive me to school. Funny thing, really. Villetta's actually married to a friend of Kallen's who works in the same shop as her. They met because Villetta dropped me off at the garage while Ohgi—her husband—was outside and she almost hit him. It's kind of funny to think back on, but it's cute, too.

I dash through the gardens, hurdling over hedges and flowerbeds before circling around one of the sakura trees. It takes me exactly one minute and four seconds to get from the orchard to the car, so long as nothing goes wrong. I've been seeing Orange almost every day for the last few years. He's like a big brother to me.

I stop in my tracks, glancing around the small nook of the garden. This place… This is the spot where I saw that boy. Yup, that's my bedroom window up there with the dark purple curtains. This is the Chinese-style garden swing he was standing next to. So, from where he was, he would have been facing… this way. I turn, shifting to stand in the same direction. Huh. There's nothing out there. Just trees. The orchard is a little father east than that, so he could have been looking at that.

But then he turned and looked… that way. There's nothing special there, either. Hm… It's just another part of the garden. I wonder if maybe there's a hidden treasure buried beneath the grounds? Or the body of a dead king? Maybe he's scouting the spot?

…Maybe I have been reading too much.

A jingle sounds out and I jump, pulling my phone from my purse. Without looking at the name, I hold it to my ear and answer, "H-hello?"

"_Miss Kate, it's Villetta. You're going to be late for school."_

"Ah, right! I'm sorry! I'm on my way now!" I turn and continue my run for the car, continuing, "I was sidetracked talking to Orange."

"_Just hurry up. I'll get in trouble if you're late."_

I turn the corner to the front of the estate. There, in the circular driveway, is the black car Villetta drives. "I'm almost there! Just turned the corner."

"_I see you. The door is unlocked."_

"Okay!" I say, snapping my phone shut and stuffing it back in my purse before pulling the door open and jumping in. "Go!"

The dark-skinned woman turns in her seat to say, "Get your seatbelt on."

I roll my eyes and click the buckle into place. "Okay, now you can go."

She shoots me a slight smile before shifting gears and pulling out of the driveway. I lean back in my seat, hugging my arms across my chest. No tests today, so school should be pretty easy. We live out in the middle of nowhere because of our massive property, so it's a little bit of a drive before we're even in the main part of Tokyo. We pull up to a stop light and I turn to glance out the window, freezing.

It's that boy from the garden.

He's standing at the crosswalk, waiting to cross with a bunch of other people. Students and adults walking to work are gathered, waiting for the light to change. His back is to me, so all I can see is that he's wearing a uniform of a dark green jacket and black pants, along with a student briefcase over his shoulder. The light changes and Villetta pulls off, leaving the boy far behind.

What in the world? Who is that boy?

We drive up to the school and she stops along the curb, glancing at the sight of students packed by the gates. What in the world? I climb out and pull my white, dirt-stained backpack over my shoulder and grab my purse, moving up towards the crowd. Maybe it's a protest? Kallen should know.

Ah, there she is!

It's hard to mistake that fiery red hair of hers. I push through the crowds, shoving my way towards her. "Kallen!" I shout, trying to be heard over the buzz. "Kallen!"

She looks up at her name, eyes widening slightly as she spots me jumping up and down. She looks so sad… I finally reach her and touch her shoulder, asking, "What happened?"

She looks away again, staring at the cobblestone path before muttering, "You haven't heard?"

I shake my head. "I just got here."

"It's Nina, from the student council. They said they found her dead in the third floor girls' room."

* * *

><p>(I hate, hate, hate Nina... -_-)<p>

What'd you think? Please note, this hasn't been beta'd. My main beta, Valentine'sNinja, is a Final Fantasy girl, and I feel bad asking her to edit fandoms she doesn't follow. If anyone is up for betaing CG fics, I'd be super appreciative!

Please review!

-Valk


	2. Chapter 02: The Boy with Raven Hair

Several people commented on C.C.'s bubbly personality, so I'll leave a note here. I'm writing her as I think she would be had she grown a normal teenager; assuming she hadn't been a slave girl in her youth and didn't have the cynicism of immortality. This is how I think she would be, but I suppose she is still OOC for canon. I hope this helps explain her and, if anyone else is OOC to you, then, well, I have no excuse.

Special thanks to: **mikeg2**,** BloodySapphiremoon**,** LovesFollower**,** renielle14**, and** Dark Rage195** for their awesome reviews!

And here we have chapter two! Enjoy!

_**History Affair  
><strong>_**Chapter 02: The Boy with Raven Hair**

…

I stare in shock. Nina? The quiet little genius? She's always in the corner during council meetings, never saying anything. She has some kind of phobia to boys, but seems to have adjusted to Gino, Suzaku Kururugi, and Rivalz Cardemonde, the only three boys on the council. It's… How? How did this happen?

It's only then that I see cops and medics on the other side of the gate, two of the white-dressed men carrying a sheet-covered stretcher. I touch Kallen's shoulder and ask, "How did this happen?"

She shakes her head. "I don't know, C.C. You missed council yesterday, but the rest of us were there. We were there late, and she and I went to use the restroom. I went back without her, and I went home soon after. I… I don't know, C.C., I just don't know…"

Her fingers fold into the fabric of my uniform jacket and she leans closer, pressing her forehead to my shoulder. I reach out to hug her with my free arm, fighting back tears. How could this happen? How?

Suddenly, Headmaster Ashford's voice booms over the loudspeaker, "Students of Ashford Academy, it is my sad duty to inform you that one of your classmates, the bright Miss Nina Einstein, was found dead this morning by unknown causes. Campus will be closed today to allow students to grieve and give the authorities time to investigate."

That headmaster. He's as bad as his granddaughter, President Milly Ashford of the student council. Neither one knows how to avoid blunt details.

I turn slightly, pulling Kallen off towards the curb while pulling out my phone. I press and hold '5' for a speed dial, waiting as the recipient picks up. "Hey, Villetta? Can you come back?"

"_Did you forget something?"_

"Ah, no… School is cancelled today."

"_Why?"_

"One of the students was found dead… I'll explain more later. Can you come back, please?"

"_Of course. I'm on my way. I'll be there in about ten minutes."_

"All right. Kallen and I are outside the school."

"_Hang on, I'll be right there."_

I hang up and wait, keeping my arm around Kallen. She chokes, her tears coming back again. This isn't like her. She isn't usually this emotional, for lack of a better word. "Kallen?" I ask, brushing my hand over her hair soothingly. "What is it?"

"I… I was… the last one to… to see her alive… I didn't know…"

Oh, so that's it… I pull her against me even tighter. "Oh, Kallen… Don't. There's nothing you could have done."

"But still, I… What if this is my fault?"

"Kallen, don't be like that. This isn't your fault. The police and doctors will find out what happened. Maybe she was sick."

She nods slowly, trying to avoid crying again. I rub her back, doing my best to sooth her. This is just terrible… Nina… What happened? Was she murdered? Did someone break into the school? Was she really sick? I don't know… I just don't.

Villetta's car pulls up the curb and both front doors open, revealing both Villetta and her husband, Ohgi. They both move up to us, spewing questions at the same time along the lines of 'What happened?' 'Who was it?' 'Are you two okay?' 'Get in the car,' and a few other bits I couldn't understand. Ohgi pulls Kallen into a tight hug, mumbling, "Thank God you're okay."

Ohgi's like a surrogate brother to her, so I step back and approach Villetta, saying, "It was Nina Einstein, from the student council. They haven't said anything else, but it's… It's just…"

Villetta's not the most compassionate woman, but she reaches out and hugs me, anyway. I must look like hell if she's actually being open like that.

"Kallen! There you are!"

I pull out of Villetta's embrace and turn to see Gino running up. He stops when he reaches us, saying, "I found you!"

I step between him and Kallen, who's still clinging to Ohgi's jacket. "Hey, Gino. Can you give her some time?"

He looks confused, so I step closer and curl my finger, gesturing for him to lean over. He does, and I bounce on my tiptoes to whisper in her ear, "She was the last one to see Nina. Give her some time, okay?"

He nods slowly, but says to Kallen anyway, "Hey, I'll be around if you want to talk, okay? Give me a call if you want. C.C. has my number."

Kallen barely nods against Ohgi's shirt, and I bite my lip to keep from crying. I hate seeing Kallen this hurt. I know I'd be just as bad if I had been the last one to…

Oh, God. Nina's dead.

How does this sort of thing happen?

I reach out and wrap my arms around her, squishing her in a hug sandwich between myself and Ohgi. This isn't happening…

…

School hasn't resumed meetings at all this week. It's Saturday, and still no school. Nina was found dead on Wednesday, but authorities haven't released anything. My mom talked to hers, and only through that were we able to find out that she died of a sudden heart failure. The weirdest part was that her mom said she didn't have any heart conditions. It just came out of nowhere.

Her funeral is today, so I dig through my closet, pulling out the black dress I bought just for the occasion. The least I could do is get a special dress just for Nina. Kallen sits in the armchair in my suite of a room, absently hugging one of my Cheese-kun plushes. She's gotten a little better, but we're all in shock. How could this happen?

I slip out of my bathrobe and step into the dress, pulling it up before turning to look at Kallen. She's dressed already in her own black dress, staring at nothing. "Hey, Kallen?"

"Hm?" she mumbled, half-attentive.

"The president is planning to have a little memorial service for Nina when school starts up again. She wants everyone to say something, mention their favorite memory of her, or something they liked about her, or whatever comes to mind. What do you think you'll say?"

"I dunno. I never really talked to her that much."

"Me, neither. She always was really smart, though. Do you remember that one time when the rest of the swim team was picking on Shirley and she figured out exactly how much blue food coloring to add to the water? Those girls were literally blue in the face for weeks!"

A small chuckle comes out of her lips. "Or when those two guys were making fun of Rivalz and she set their science experiment to explode during their presentation?"

"Oh! Or when Gino tried wasabi and ate way too much, she made a quick cure out of ice, grass, and a shot of tomato juice?"

"She was really smart… I'll miss her."

"Yeah. Or…" I pause, touching my finger to my chin and look out the window. "No. I won't miss her."

Kallen's head snaps up and stares at me as if I said I was going to eat bugs. I smile and press my hands to my hips, saying, "I won't miss her because she'll always be with us!"

At that, she gives a light smile and settles back into her chair again. "Yeah. You're right."

…

I sit in the car on the way back to Nina's parents' house for the wake, staring out the window blankly. The eulogy was beautiful, but I don't think it did her justice. It hurt so much when her mother burst into tears and started screaming. I know Nina's at peace, but it still hurts.

Wait, what?

A car pulls up next to ours at the light and, there, in the passenger seat, is that boy. The one that was outside my house and on the street corner. Is he stalking me or something? I'm in the backseat, so all I can see is the back of his head, but, this time, he turns slightly and glances out his open window. I can almost see his face, but his bangs are too messy to get a good look. He's wearing a t-shirt and a bright orange vest like construction workers wear.

Who the hell is this kid?

I've seen him around three times, and every time he's been wearing different clothes. He's a student, a construction worker, and something on my family's property. I really don't think he should have been there. None of the other staff seemed to know who he was, neither did my parents.

Who in the world is he?

He turns back to face forward, but doesn't say anything to the driver. He leans back, as if sitting in comfortable silence. Just then, the light changes and the car he was in takes off, leaving us behind as we follow slowly.

What in the world is going on? Who is he?

…

Two weeks later, and I've been seeing him everywhere. Once was in the mall, where he was sitting on a bench by himself, looking as if he was asleep in a t-shirt and jeans. Another, he was wearing slacks and a jacket, standing by the lake in the park, skipping stones off the water. I got up to talk to him there, but he suddenly turned and walked away, climbing onto the city bus and leaving.

I still haven't seen all of his face, but I caught another glimpse of his nose. It's almost as if every time I see him, I see more and more of his face. It's weird, and I probably sound like a psycho. I stand up from my seat in the student council room and stretch, sighing. I move out to stand on the balcony, taking in the spring warmth with a smile. What in the world is wrong with me?

I glance down at where the grounds staff is working on weeding the plants. I smile and throw a wave as the head nods a greeting towards me. My attention snaps over to where they have the buggy carrying fertilizer and tools parked, staring at the guy pulling a sack of literal crap off the back. It's… It's him.

That boy again!

He heaves the sack over his shoulder and sighs, reaching up to wipe sweat off his brow. Then he turns around, facing in my direction. He's not looking up, so I can't see his face that clearly, but he… he's definitely around my age. I reach in my pocket, pulling out my phone, and snap a picture. There. It's not a very good shot, but at least I'll know I'm not crazy.

"C.C.?"

I turn to see Kallen standing there with a curious look. She hasn't completely recovered from Nina's death—none of us have—but she's doing better. I smile and rub the back of my head, careful; not to mess my twin ponytails tied back with ribbons. "What's up?"

"What are you doing?"

"Just getting air. I needed to stretch. The prez works us like dogs."

"I heard that!" Milly calls from inside the room.

Kallen turns and shuts the glass doors and walks over to me. "There's something else, isn't there? You seem really detached."

I shrug. "Can you blame me? After all, Nina's…" I suck. I totally suck. Using Nina as an excuse.

"That's not it, either. You're acting as if you're looking for something. Talk to me, C.C."

I draw my right arm across my middle and grip my phone in my left. I guess I should tell Kallen. She's my best friend, after all. "You promise you won't think I'm crazy?"

"C.C., I already think you're crazy."

"Fine. You promise you won't think I'm mental?"

She laughs and leans on the railing. "Promise."

"Well…" How to explain? "There's this boy…"

"Ohhh…" she murmurs knowingly.

"No! No, Kallen! It's not like that! Listen to me!"

She smiles, so not believing me, and says, "Okay. Continue."

"Thank you." I turn to look back down where he was, only to find he left already. Several of the gardeners have moved onto other parts of the garden, so I fight back my pang of disappointment. "Okay, so I keep seeing this boy, and I mean everywhere. He's in the park, in town, even at home. Just now, he was down with the gardening crew, helping them out."

Her eyebrow goes up. "Stalker much?"

I pause and point at myself innocently. "Me or him?"

"Yes," she says, indicating we're both stalkers.

"Here, look at his picture," I hold up my phone, showing her the picture.

"Um, C.C., I'm not sure how to say this, but there's no one in that picture."

I look at the phone, staring at the image of the front walk of Ashford Academy with the gardeners' buggy. He's nowhere to be seen in the picture. But I pointed it right at him! How in the…?

"C.C., maybe you should go home. You don't look so good."

"No, it's… He was there! I took the picture of him!" I shuffle through my pictures, looking for the right one. But, no, there's no other pictures like that, with the gardening buggy in it. What the hell? Where did he go?

"C.C., just go home. Call Villetta and go. We'll cover things here."

"But…"

"Get some rest. The heat is probably getting to you."

"But I…" Oh, is this your plan, mystery guy? You wanna make a fool of me, do you? Fine! I'll just ignore you, then. I sigh in defeat and nod to Kallen. "All right, I'll go home. You sure you have things under control here?"

"Yes! Just go! I'll explain to the others."

I smile. "Thanks. You're the best friend I could ask for." I should just stay here and keep my mind busy, but I do want to read _Chronicles of the Crown_...

Kallen smiles and opens the door, walking back inside as I pull my phone out to call Villetta.

…

"Thanks for the ride, Villetta!" I chirp, climbing out of the backseat with my backpack and purse. "I'm going to go get a drink of water."

She shakes her head and says, "You really don't look sick."

I shrug and turn on my heel. "Maybe it was just the heat." I dash off without waiting for a response and kick my shoes off by the door before running into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. Twisting it open, I guzzle it as quickly as I can and toss the empty bottle in the recycling container. I pull out another one and break for the stairs, calling 'hi' into my dad's home office as I run by.

I will not think about that guy. I won't, I won't, I won't. He's just mocking me, anyway. It'd be pointless, right? It's not like he ever acknowledges me. It's a waste of my time. I sigh and open the door to my room, stifling a screech at the sight.

There, in the middle of my bedroom floor, lay that boy.

…

You all know who he is, right? I didn't try to hide it, so it should be pretty obvious. So, what do you all think is going to happen now? You didn't think the whole fic was going to be her catching glimpses of him, did you?

Please review!

-Valk


	3. Chapter 03: History Repeating

Heya! I'm sorry about the delay. I told some of you that I would be updating every Friday, but that may not be the case anymore. I do apologize, but I have a life outside of fanfiction to live. I have another chapter done preemptively, so I'll try to get that one up next week, but no promises. Again, I apologize. I honestly thought I would have time to get this done before things got too hectic.

Special thanks to: **renielle14, Akito89Lelouch, LovesFollower, lost lord, MS-16 Z Jager, BlackAngel'sWrath, JohnTitor, Midnightstarz**, and **Dark Rage195** for their rebviews! Thanks so much, guys!

_**History Affair  
><strong>_**Chapter 03: History Repeating**

…

I stand in the doorway of my room, mouth hanging open to avoid shrieking. My body moves on its own as I step inside and shut the door, throwing my bags to the floor and run over to him. He's unconscious, but is he okay? I bend over slightly, pulling my hair back, and lean over his face. Warm tufts of air hit against my cheek gently, which I guess means he's breathing. I suppose that's a good thing.

I learned how to check a pulse in middle school health, so I reach out for his wrist and place my middle and forefinger against his wrist. Yup, he's got a pulse, too. He seems okay. Maybe he's just asleep?

But in the middle of my bedroom floor?

Suddenly, a hand grasps my wrist and I stifle another scream. My free hand automatically grips the fabric of his sleeve by reflex as his eyes snap open, staring straight above. His voice—harsh and, quite frankly, pissed off—sounds out as he shouts, "Unhand me, wench!"

I release my hold on his sleeve and lean back, pulling my hand free of his hold and fall back on my butt. I shuffle away a few feet as he slowly sits, staring at me with angry—albeit gorgeous—purple eyes. Slowly, his expression softens and shifts to one of shock, eyes widening and hand reaching out helplessly. He swallows, then hesitantly says, "…Cera?

I blink. Huh? "Um…"

"Cera, it's you, isn't it?"

I shake my head slowly, pressing my back against the couch where I shuffled. "No, my name's Kate. Or C.C., whichever you prefer."

He shifts to his feet, a smile gracing his lips, "Cera, you're alive… I thought I lost you."

"No, I'm not-" I start, cutting off as he walks over to me and bends down next to me, taking my hand in his. What the hell? His other hand reaches out, brushing my hair out of my face before sliding across my cheek and pulling me towards him.

Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait-wait-wait-wait-wait.

What?

Then his lips are on mine. He's kissing me.

This freaky stalker freak is kissing me!

And I don't even know his name.

He pulls back slightly and gives me this gentle smile, his hand brushing through my hair again. "Cera, I'm so glad you're all right."

"Um… Excuse me?" I lean back, shaking my head and pull my hand back to make him let go. "I'm not this Cera girl. My name's Kate Christian."

He shifts and leans back, looking me over critically. Finally, he shifts to stand and reaches up to pull at his tightly-buttoned collar, saying, "Forgive me. You look just like her."

"Er…" I shift to climb to my feet and dust off my microscopic uniform skirt. "Who are you? Why have you been stalking me?"

His eyebrow quirks slightly and he raises his hand as if he's going to slap me. "You dare speak that way to _me?_"

I cringe, covering my face helplessly. "Geez, settle down!"

He relaxes slightly and lowers his hand back to his side. Suddenly, he sweeps his hand out dramatically, bringing it in front of him until his fingers are poised right beside his face, saying, "I am Lelouch vi Britannia, eleventh prince of Britannia and seventeenth in line for the royal throne!"

Say _what?_ This guy is mental. Or maybe I am. First off, there is no royal family anymore. History tells Lelouch vi Britannia as one of the last princes, who died in the final war against the monarchy. He lived and died over four hundred years ago.

But, come to think of it, he does greatly resemble the few remaining portraits of Prince Lelouch that survived through the years. But… But… That's impossible. And… "Who is Cera?" There's no record of this girl ever existing. History says Prince Lelouch died a teenager without ever marrying or anything. They don't even tell of a tragic love story or anything.

His eyes sharpen again, almost as if his about to curse me to hell or something, so I raise my hands in mock surrender. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Forget I asked!"

"Kate!"

I gasp, looking towards the door where my mother's voice was approaching from. She has a bad habit of not knocking, so I quickly open my closet and shove 'Lelouch' inside, hissing, "Stay quiet!"

"You dare treat a prince like-"

I slam the door shut and hiss, "Look, if my mom finds you in my room, it'll be bad for both of us, so stay quiet!" I pause and, for good measure, add, "_Your Highness._"

A muffled grunt of distaste sounds and I leap into a chair and grab my book from the table just as my mother opens the door. "Kate, why are you home so early? You said you were going to be helping the student council until late."

"Oh…" I look up from my book and tuck my bookmark inside. "I wasn't feeling well, so the others told me to head back. I drank some water, and I feel much better."

"Ah, I see." She frowns. "I thought I heard you talking to someone. It sounded like a boy."

I hope my face doesn't show how afraid I feel now. "Oh, that? I was talking to the rest of the council on speaker phone. Gino was being his usual loud self."

"All right… Well, we ate dinner without you, because we thought you'd be longer. Go talk to Chiba about getting something to eat."

Leave-leave-leave-leave-leave… I don't think 'Lelouch' will be that patient… "Okay, Mom! I'll head down in a minute."

"All right, sweetie. I'm going over to Clara Einstein's, so make sure you get your dinner."

My mom has always been good friends with Nina's mom, so she's been visiting ever since… You know… I smile and nod. "Okay, Mom. Give her my best, okay?"

She gives me a wistful smile and backs out, shutting the door behind her. I breathe a sigh of relief and shift to stand, walking over to the closet. I pull the double doors open with a sheepish smile at the sight of him leaning back against a set of drawers with his arms crossed. "Are you finished with your discussion, Cera?"

I blink. Didn't we already establish that I'm not this Cera chick? Maybe I should play along? Maybe I can at least find out more about him. I nod and smile. "I did, Lelouch. Thank you for being so patient." I hope this girl is nice and friendly.

He stands up straight and uncrosses his arms, moving to step forward. He stops when he's right in front of me and reaches out, gently taking my hands in his. "I'm sorry to be such an intrusion. I hate that we have to hide our relationship."

I hope I'm not overdoing this… I smile coyly and peer up at him through my lashes. "And what kind of relationship is that?"

He smiles back, though it's a small and barely-there smile, it makes his face soften and he actually looks like a nice person. "You know, Cera."

I rock back and forth on my heels and keep my smile in place. "But I like hearing you say it." Oh, God… I hope his relationship with this Cera girl is what I think…

He lets go of one of my hands and reaches up to touch my cheek gently. "I love you, Cera."

I thought so. Or hoped so, really.

"I'm sorry we have to stay a secret, but I promise we'll be married before the year is out. You'll be princess of Britannia, and we'll be able to be together forever."

I lean into his touch and smile lightly. "I don't care about being a princess. I just want to be with you."

His hands shift to let me go for a second, then suddenly pulls me against him in a tight embrace. I really hope he doesn't realize I'm messing with him. I actually feel kind of bad now. But I can't just tell him I'm not Cera… Not at this point. Slowly, I raise my hands to settle on his waist and hold him back.

This is actually kind of awkward. I mean, I'm hugging this guy who claims to be a prince who died four hundred years ago while pretending to be his girlfriend. Not to mention, he randomly showed up on my bedroom floor after appearing in hallucination-like dreams for two weeks.

Awkward with a capital 'A.'

He pulls back slowly and gives me a once over. "Cera, you never change. You're still just as beautiful as ever."

I smile and step back. "I'm rather hungry. Do you mind if I go downstairs and make some food?"

He smiles and nods. "Not at all. I'll be waiting up here. I wanted to get some research done."

I don't know what he'll be researching, but as long as he doesn't find my diary, I'll be okay with it. "Of course. Would you like me to bring you some food, Lelouch?"

He smiles. "If you have extras. But don't feel pressured to risk getting caught. No one can know I'm here."

Damn skippy, they can't. "Of course."

…

I smile at Chiba, the family cook, as I slap the slice of wheat bread on top of my sandwich. "I'm really hungry, but I have a ton of work to catch up on, so is it okay if I take this upstairs while I work?"

Chiba sighs and shakes her head. "Just don't let your parents find out. You know how Mr. Christian is about food outside the dining room."

I nod. I still have to feed the centuries-old prince in my bedroom. "I know. I'll be careful. You'll never even know I had anything up there."

She turns away, dismissing the conversation, so I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and head upstairs. I hope he's not a vegetarian. I made him a turkey sandwich, so I hope it's something he'll eat. I walk back to my room and shift to knock.

Wait, what am I doing? This is my bedroom! I turn the knob and open the door, only to find 'Lelouch' sitting on the couch with a book in his hand, gingerly flipping through the pages. I clear my throat to alert him to my presence, shifting the plate to my other hand.

He doesn't even look up, but instead waves a hand over towards my desk and says, "Leave it there and go."

My eyebrow rises on its own. "Excuse me? Who do you think you're talking to?"

He barely glances up, then resumes reading right away. "I wish to be alone. You're impeding on my research."

I walk the space between he and I, then grab the book from his hand and toss it to the floor. "Look, buddy, this isn't the sixteenth century anymore. You're not a prince, and I'm not your servant."

He stares, eyes narrowed, and looks as if he's about to send me to the gallows, but I cut him off, saying, "Don't even start! It's not the sixteen-hundreds. It's two thousand and seventeen. The fact that you think you're a prince doesn't mean anything here. You're just a regular guy with no clue how the current world works."

He shifts to stand and crosses his arms. "Is that so? And who do you think you are to be saying such things?"

"My name is Kate Christian, though I already told you that three times. And let me be _very_ clear when I say I am _not_ your servant. If anything, you should be thankful I didn't call the cops on you and have you thrown into a loony bin!"

He crosses his arms, peering down at me with his emotions like a mask. "You truly do not believe I am Prince Lelouch vi Britannia?"

I shake my head. "That guy died almost four hundred years ago. There's no way."

He takes a step closer to me, stopping right in front of me and leering down at me. "What if I said I could prove it?"

"How?"

"Judging by your abundance of books on the subject, I assume you're well-informed of my birth era?"

I nod. "That's true."

"Then feel free to ask me questions of that time, and I'll answer them."

I hold up my hand. "Quick question. If you really were born almost four hundred years ago, why aren't you at all bothered by the fact that you're suddenly in the future? On that note, _how_ are you in the future?"

He turns away and crosses his arms, walking over to look out one of the windows and muses, "Because I wanted to come to the future. Admittedly, I went a lot farther than anticipated, but errors are bound to occur when experimenting with something you're never done before. As surprising as it may be, even I do make mistakes."

"Okay, yeah, sure. That's all well and good, but _how_ did you get to the future? Did you have a time machine?"

He shakes his head with a laugh. "You speak as if such machinery is achievable to man's miniscule intellect. No, I didn't use a 'time machine.' I simply utilized my birthright as Prince of Britannia."

My eyebrow rises again. "And that would be…?"

He turns back to face me, a smile on his lips. "Geass."

…

Well, there's another one! Geass will play a fairly large role in this fic, though I've taken my own creative license with it. You'll find out more about it as the story progresses! Again, I do apologize about the delay and change in schedule ^^;

Please review!

-Valk


	4. Chapter 04: Geass

Many apologies for the lateness. I've been busy with real life stuff, my Dissidia fanfic for my best friend's birthday, and my new obsession with Gundam 00. Again, I do apologize ^^;

Whatever you knew of canon geass, leave it by the door. For this AU fic, I've made up a whole new set of rules for it, so don't be thinking there are Codes or anything. Just go ahead and read. This chapter gets into the details of it. Enjoy!

I'd like to thank **renielle14, JohnTitor, BlackAngel'sWrath, Suzuki Uchiha, Stellencia Patherica, LovesFollower, Dark Rage195, **and **NightRaven13** for their reviews!

_**History Affair  
><strong>_**Chapter 04: Geass**

…

"Geass?" I ask, my mind drawing a blank. I've never heard of anything called geass, historical or not.

Lelouch smiles and walks to the middle of the room, then turns to face me while sweeping his hand in front of his eyes. With that motion, his violet eyes _glow_ a shade of pink instead. "Geass," he says, "is the birthright of the royal heirs."

I step forward, absently walking closer to him. What in the world is this…? His eyes… They're glowing pink with a shape almost like a bird in the center. My hand reaches out and gently touches his cheek, my thumb gently tracing under his eye. "Beautiful…"

He blinks, the glow fading and his eyes returning to their formerly purple state. "What did you just say?"

"Ah!" I turn away and let go, folding my hands together in front of me and fighting my blush. In my defense, he kissed me, so touching his face isn't so bad. "I didn't mean…"

He walks past me to look out the window again and crosses his arms while saying, "You think it's beautiful? Tell me, if a thousand people were to perish in a single moment, would you think that's beautiful, too?"

I stare, stumped by the question. "Well, no. There's nothing beautiful about death."

"Because, if used properly, that is exactly what geass is capable of."

What? What is he saying…? "What do you mean?"

He turns again, facing me and raising his hand to absently finger the curtains. "To understand, you must first know the origin of geass. It is, as I said, the birthright of the Britannian heirs. I had almost twenty siblings, all but one having different mothers. Because of our descent from the emperor, Charles zi Britannia, we inherited geass."

"Okay…" I nod slowly, moving to sit down in a pink armchair and pull Cheese-kun into my lap. "But… What is it, exactly?"

"Geass manifests in an heir around the age of sixteen. Mine formed at fourteen, but I always was ahead of my time. I barely surpassed my brother Schneizel. He was two weeks older than I at the time of manifestation. At that time, the power first forms. It's barely there, waiting in your mind like an insect crawling on your neck. It tingles, and you feel the urge to make it stop by whatever means necessary. Instinct makes you want to use it, no matter the consequences."

I pull my feet beneath me, hugging Cheese-kun even tighter. "What happens then? Did you kill people?"

"No. I didn't, anyway. Every geass manifests differently. My ability varies completely from any of my siblings. No two are exactly the same, or so it seems. After the initial usage, the power no longer has that begging feeling, but it is still there. The power is at your disposal. It takes practice to get used to exactly how it works and what sort of limitations there might be, but it's all personal experimentation."

I lean forward, completely absorbed into his story. "What is your power, exactly? What can you do?"

He ignores my question, saying, "Around the age of eighteen—sixteen for me—the geass matures. Upon maturation, one loses temporary control of their geass. It reaches its full potential, beyond what a simple human can control. However, it can be harnessed and managed, but, again, it takes time and practice. Depending on the nature of the geass, it can take as little as a week to completely master it. With others, you could be training all your life and never have complete control."

I swallow my spit and snuggle into my chair further. "What else?"

He walks over and sits down on the sofa, crossing his long legs and resting his temple on his fingertips. "I believe you asked of my geass?"

I nod vigorously and shift to sit on my legs, eager to hear his answer. "Yes?"

"My geass allows me to copy the geass of any user within fifteen hundred meters."

I blink. "So, it's useless without other people with geasses?"

He sighs and shakes his head. "The plural form is still 'geass.' And to answer your question, yes and no. I require a geass user nearby, but once I copy them, I can continue to copy them, even after they're out of range."

I nod slowly. "How do you know if anyone is nearby? I mean, fifteen hundred meters is pretty far."

He leans back with a casual chuckle. "Are you stupid? I can sense them, of course."

"But you're a Britannian heir. What good is your power here in Japan?"

He shrugs casually while lifting the plate with sandwich and eyeing it curiously. "I still have my previously copied powers." Peering at the sandwich cautiously, he finally asks, "What is it?"

I take my turn to laugh and say, "It's a turkey sandwich."

"Turkey?" he questions, glancing over it to look at me. "As in the avionic species?"

"Yes, as in it's a bird. That turkey." I giggle again at the look on his face before saying, "Just try it. It's better than it looks. Promise."

He warily lifts it from the plate and I shift to stand, trying my best to not stare at him. "So, what kind of powers did you copy?"

He sniffs the sandwich and slowly raises it to his lips, working up his courage and biting down before he can change his mind. I turn away, hiding the laughter threatening to bubble out at the look on his face. Finally, he swallows and says, "I… have eaten far worse things."

I smile and say, "See? It's not that bad!"

He shakes his head. "Things you would be far better off not knowing."

My eyebrows rise again. "The things you've eaten?"

"No, the powers I possess."

Well, if that's not cryptic.

…

I climb out of Villetta's car the next day, trudging up towards school. I hope Lelouch will be okay in my room. He wouldn't talk about geass anymore, but I feel like I should be happy that he told me as much as he did. I mean, the fact that it isn't mentioned in history means that it's a well-guarded secret, one that actually was taken to the grave.

But I'm really hoping nobody finds Lelouch in my room. That would just spell out trouble for me.

"C.C.?"

I jump where I stand, turning on my heel and clapping my hand over my heart at the sight of Kallen standing there. Her fire-red eyebrow goes up and she crosses her arms. "Little jumpy today, aren't we?"

I smile and rub the back of my head. "Yeah, little bit."

She shifts to walk beside me as we make our way up to the classroom center together. I shrug as nonchalantly as I can and, without waiting for her to ask, say, "I dunno. I just am."

She crosses her arms in a 'I am so not buying that' way before saying, "I am so not buying that."

Do I know my friend or what? I smile and say, "Fine, you win."

She offers a smug smirk and says, "I'm listening."

Now, how to explain…? "It's that boy I told you about."

"Oh?" She leans closer, waiting for all the gory details.

"Well, I met him yesterday. I mean, I know his name and we talked for a little bit."

She just gives me a look, silently telling me to continue. I draw a deep breath and fold my fingers together. "His name is Lelouch-" Lelouch what? I can't tell her his real name! "Lelouch Lamperouge." I have no idea where that came from. I'll roll with it. "He's a nerd for the royal Britannian era, too."

She stares at me, waiting. Finally, she asks, "Is that it?"

I shrug. "Nothing really amazing happened, no. We just talked."

"Talking," she says, but the way she says it sounds like she can't believe it.

"Hey!" I reach out and swat her arm. "I just met him and you make it sound like I should be making out with him!"

"Well, you are a hopeless romantic."

"And you have a guy pretty much dragging on your coattails and you won't do a thing about it!"

She rolls her eyes. "Please, not this again… I have my reasons for not wanting to date."

I shove against her shoulder playfully. "Yeah, well don't blame me when you wind up single with forty cats!"

She looks away and grips her hands around the shoulder strap of her bag. "Yeah. Sure."

I blink. Did I say something to make her upset? I set my hand on her shoulder and ask, "Hey, Kallen, you know I'm only joking, right? You'll find the right guy someday!"

She turns to me with a forced smile. "Yeah. You're right."

I smile back and shove her shoulder again. "Come on, we'll be late for class."

…

I walk in the door to my house and look around quickly before making a break for the stairs. I really, really hope no one went into my room… I push the door open and glance around, pausing at the sight of Lelouch sitting on the couch with his arm on the rest, fingers propped against his cheek, and feet propped on the table. I walk in and close the door behind, watching him as his fingers twitch in a likeness to waving. Well, at least he's acknowledging me.

I drop my backpack into my chair and walk closer, greeting, "Hey, Lelouch."

"Is there anyone out there?"

I shake my head. "Nope. You're safe."

"Good," he says, shifting to his feet and snapping the book shut. He tosses it carelessly onto the table and walks around over to me with a slight smile on his face. His hand reaches out towards me slightly, his voice saying, "I missed you, Cera."

"No-no-no-no!" I step back, waving my hands between us. He thought I was Cera that morning, too. I'm guessing time travel messes your memories a little bit. Or maybe it's part of the shock of suddenly being in a completely different time. "I'm not Cera. My name's Kate."

He withdraws his hand, delicately placing it against his temple and sighing. "Of course. Forgive me."

I manage a smile and say, "It's okay. I can't imagine what it's like to suddenly be in a new world." Let's not even touch the subject of the never-to-be-seen-again girlfriend.

He gives a short nod and walks back to the couch, lifting the book he was reading and humming a sound of amusement. "I never imagined I would uncover something like this."

I walk over to glance at the book he's holding, only to find _Chronicles of the Crown vol. 4_. Yes, I bought the whole set. Sue me. "It's wrong, I know, but it's such a good read that I-"

"Wrong?" he asks with one eyebrow arching perfectly. "How so?"

"Well," I start, shifting to sit down on the couch next to him. "Some of the facts are off. For instance, Princess Cornelia never loved her knight, did she? And Guilford didn't really exist."

He chuckles and touches the spine of the book to his nose. "That's _Lord_ Guilford. He was a good man and he very much existed. He also earned the title of Baron for his efforts in protecting my sister, earning him the right to marry her. Unfortunately, the battle over the throne erupted before they could marry and they died—to the best of my knowledge—without ever being wed."

"Wait." I hold up my hand to stop him. "You mean, our history is all wrong?"

He leans back with a smug smile on his face. "Does this mean you truly believe that I am Prince Lelouch vi Britannia?"

I stop where I sit and stare at the book in his hand. "I'm not sure. I think I need to see the power of this geass before I can say so. If I can see your magic powers first-hand, then I'll believe you. Fair enough?"

"Very well," he says with a curt nod. He sweeps his hand in front of his eyes again, revealing that pink glow again.

I can't help but stare at the sight. It's amazing, the image of his eyes encompassed by this strange sigil. I don't know what it means, or what kind of thing he's going to do to me, but I honestly couldn't care right now.

He smiles and leans on his hand again. "If you lived in my time, you'd lose your head for thinking like that."

I blink. "I didn't say anything." Did I?

"You didn't have to. My oldest brother, Odysseus, had the power to read minds. I've copied it before and, therefore, can copy it now."

I narrow my eyes and lean closer. "What am I thinking now?" Tomorrow, we're having a history class covering the Japanese discovery of Sakuradite, and history leading up to its usage today.

"What in the world is Sakuradite?"

Okay, there's no way that's a coincidence. Is it? I mean, what are the chances? "You… really are reading my mind, aren't you?"

He snorts a short laugh. "Of course I am. I would have thought the glowing eyes would convince you of the reality of geass."

"So… You really have magic powers?"

"Naturally."

Well. I honestly don't know what to say about that. I suppose that does kind of explain how this guy randomly showed up in my bedroom. I reach up and brush my fingers through my hair to tuck it behind my ear. "So... Why did you come to the future?"

"Hm." He smirks and turns to avert his eyes. "That is something you may yet discover at a later date."

I narrow my eyes pointedly. "I'm not fooling around!"

He shifts to stand with that secretive smirk still in place. "Neither am I."

"Look," I say, jumping to my feet opposite him. "You're relying on me, aren't you? You need me for a place to stay, food to eat, and to gain knowledge of this time, right?"

He chuckles, a low rumble echoing from deep in his chest. "Hardly. With geass, I can 'ask' anyone for assistance. I can even convince you to help me without telling you another word of my secrets."

Arrogant little-! I slam my hand down on the armrest of the chair, anger boiling deep inside. "Some pretty little mind reading ability isn't going to make me your slave!"

He walks past me, brushing _Chronicles of the Crown_ against my cheek playfully. "I told you, didn't I? My powers are the things of nightmares. It's not the mind reading I'll use."

My shoulders freeze up without my consent as I suck in a breath. Slowly, I turn to face him, unable to resist asking, "What kind of monster are you...?"

That smirk rises a bit further and he shifts to toss the book onto the table, calling casually over his shoulder, "The kind who mercilessly orders thousands to their deaths in the name of their sworn allegiance."

Wha-?

...

Don't worry, geass plays a pretty big role in this story. Actually, it's kind of the whole point. This chapter was pretty necessary to explain my AU version of it. I hope it wasn't too boring!

As always, please review!

-Valk


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